In the 2017 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense was nothing short of eye-catching. Now, they were setting their sights on bolstering their offense.
Not only had they targeted the Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback, but they also had their eyes on the Chiefs' running back.
So, was Kansas City just so warehouse auction?
Smith looked at the confusion on Lance's face, and his smile widened. "Co on, Caldwell has made it clear he wants you. It's not even a secret in the league anymore."
Lance spread his hands wide. "Hey, I'm no noble hero who can't be swayed. Give a five-year, two-hundred-million-dollar fully guaranteed contract, and I'll go to the coach myself and say I can't resist the temptation—I'm ready to transfer."
Pfft.
Smith couldn't hold it in; a mouthful of water sprayed right out.
Lance looked at him seriously. "Cleanliness, Captain. Mind your manners, please?"
Smith hurriedly wiped his mouth with a napkin, fumbling around before finally raising his thumb at Lance. Impressive, truly impressive.
Lance smiled again. "From what you just said, it seems you're more interested in New York than Jacksonville?"
Objectively speaking, Lance thought the Jacksonville Jaguars were a good choice.
First, their defense was strong.
Second, their offense was solid and stable. If Smith joined, he wouldn't just be the starting quarterback; he'd have a say in offensive play-calling. They wouldn't need to risk long passes, instead focusing on Smith's strengths with mid-range and short throws.
With that adjustnt, the Jaguars could beco strong contenders for the 2018 season.
And Lance guessed that they probably had enough salary cap space to et Smith's demands for a big contract.
Putting aside personal feelings, Caldwell's strategy was sharp and impressive. It was no surprise the Jaguars had been maintaining their strength.
Smith looked a bit embarrassed, touching his nose to hide his expression, then exhaled. "Alright, I admit, I do have a bit of a fantasy about New York."
Lance raised his eyebrows. "What do you an?"
Smith realized that Lance wasn't too familiar with the history of football. "For our generation of players, there are a few teams with special filters. One is the San Francisco 49ers. Everyone dreams of playing in San Francisco. Another is the Green Bay Packers; they have the most unique fan culture in the league."
Lance nodded slightly. He'd heard Mahos ntion it before. Even top quarterbacks like Brady and Rodgers had dread of playing for the 49ers, yet San Francisco had passed on them every ti, shattering their hopes.
"Besides those, there's the New York Giants."
"The reason is simple: it's New York. Everything feels different when you talk about New York."
"It's the biggest city in Arica. We all want to go there and see for ourselves."
Even though Lance couldn't fully understand the sentint—after all, he was a soul from another world, and the original owner of his body didn't seem to have any special attachnt to New York—he could sowhat grasp it. It was like how people in China aspired to move to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen. There was always so sort of filter of idealism.
Whether those cities truly matched their imaginations depended on one's own experiences.
"If I could go to New York, it would be a huge step."
"And, John said you're friends. If you're friends, that makes his friend, too. He made it clear that he'd be happy to welco to the New York Giants. He believes you would also be happy to see there."
John?
John Mara?
Wait, a flash of insight sparked in Lance's mind. All the fragnted clues suddenly connected, and he couldn't help but chuckle, a bit helplessly.
Smith noticed. "What's wrong?"
Lance smiled, shaking his head and sarcastically remarked, "Oh, it's nothing. It's my honor to be considered a friend of John."
After the AFC Championship Ga, when Lance returned to New York, Jas Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks, had invited him to Madison Square Garden for publicity, which turned out to be a success.
After the ga, Lance t John Mara—the owner of the New York Giants—in the VIP lounge. Mara was the real main character of the evening, catching Lance completely off guard. Dolan never even showed up.
After the eting, Lance discussed it with Donald Yu.
At that ti, Donald speculated that the New York Giants had their sights set on Lance. After all, New York had the second-largest Chinese population in North Arica, only behind San Francisco. Even without considering the Asian market, New York itself was a treasure trove.
Moreover, the Giants indeed needed a running back. And after their fallout with Eli Manning, they were in desperate need of a new star, a new face to reignite the franchise.
If Donald had his way, he would want Lance to go to the Giants—
Not just because it was a big market, but in terms of promotion and comrcial operations, New York's advantages were unmatched by any of the other 31 NFL teams. The rise of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to stardom was proof of that.
Plus, the Rams and Chargers moving to Los Angeles, and the Raiders heading to Las Vegas, were all part of the sa strategy.
However, Lance said he had no such intentions. He was happy in Kansas City, and Donald had to temporarily shelve the idea and start planning his next steps.
The plan was to use the New York Giants as leverage to elevate Lance's status and market value.
In short, Donald began his maneuvering.
But now it seed that John Mara was even more cunning, already making his move.
Thinking back, during that ti the Chiefs had only just won the AFC Championship. The Super Bowl hadn't even been played yet, and everything was still uncertain. If it were just for a rookie running back—soone who might transfer two years later, soone who might not even have a breakout season, soone who might fade away after losing the Super Bowl—it wouldn't have been worth Mara personally stepping in.
It didn't make sense.
Even Lance wasn't worth that kind of effort.
But, if it was for a quarterback—soone whose contract was about to expire, soone who was likely to be replaced by a rookie, soone who had proven his ability and attitude, soone who could help stabilize the team for two or three seasons while they searched for a new franchise quarterback in the draft, soone who was bound to be highly sought after if he hit the free market—then it all made sense.
That is to say, both Lance and Donald had thought Mara's approach was aid at Lance. In reality, Mara was playing chess—not just one move, but planning multiple steps ahead.
Now imagine: if it weren't for Lance's sharp intuition and perceptiveness to piece everything together, what would he say to Smith?
For one, New York was his hotown.
For another, he had recently hit it off with Mara and was treated like a VIP.
Just like Inception, a thought-seed had been planted deep within, waiting to grow and sprout into "his own idea," where he would eagerly vouch for Smith joining the Giants. Even a single nod or a positive remark might sway Smith's decision.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
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